Silver
by Phantasy Star
Summary: During a siege on her castle, Princess Serenity is rescued by the dashing but dispassionate knight Sir Endymion. They embark on an adventure to find her mother the Queen, meeting Lita the bandit chief and Mina the holy mage along the way...
1. Chapter 1

**Silver**

**Chapter One:**

**Meeting Endymion, the Knight with a Mysterious Past  
**

**by Phantasy Star  
**

* * *

Serena's groan came out as a muffled whimper against her pillow. She buried her face deeper into the wonderful softness in an attempt to escape the blazing sunlight invading her bedroom.

It wasn't working.

With a growl, she pulled at her rumpled sheets and wrapped them haphazardly around her head, not caring that she may suffocate. They could resuscitate if necessary - there were castle healers for this sort of thing.

From under her blankets, she frowned. Her bedroom felt unusually warm. Did the castle air-conditioning stop working?

Reluctantly, she peeked out from under her sheets and looked out her bedroom window, a full-length glass pane which her mother claimed gave the best view of the castle grounds. Not that she really cared. The view was always the same – the fountains and rose gardens weren't going to get up and do a little dance for her.

But there were no dancing fountains outside this morning. Not that she could see anyway. All she could see was smoke. Lots and lots of smoke rising past her window.

She growled. What kind of morons barbecued this early in the morning? Granted, it might not be morning since she sometimes slept until noon, but still.

And right outside the princess's room no less!

Oh well, she mused, it was not a complete loss. She was growing hungry, and if she went outside to demand a rack of lamb, she would certainly be granted her request. She was the princess of the kingdom after all.

Her door swung open from behind her.

She didn't bother to turn and look. It was her servant Molly coming in to tend to her. The girl somehow always knew instinctively when she would wake up every morning. Serena smiled. Perhaps she could send ask Molly to fetch the rack of lamb in her stead. She liked the idea very much; sometimes she gave herself far too little credit for her own intelligence.

"Princess Serenity."

Half-dazed, she rolled to lay on her other side. She looked at her visitor.

It wasn't Molly.

This man was tall, with broad shoulders, short ebony hair, and a dark complexion that drew a distinct contrast with his intense blue eyes. He was dressed in full dark-indigo armor, a red cape draped over his back. He face was young – he seemed only a few years older than she was – but his eyes gave away a depth of experience.

Her heart fluttered. What an incredibly attractive suitor! His stature so poised, his determined expression so heart-stopping. And he was standing so confidently in her bedroom. In her bedroom.

In her bedroom.

Wait a minute, what?

She screamed. A shrill, spoiled-princess scream. She stared wide-eyed and wide-mouthed at him, her decibels and pitch rising by the second.

He remained expressionless.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but we must leave now."

She would have cried out in alarm when he abruptly gathered her up in his arms like she were paper and carried her out of the bedroom, but she was already screaming. She was dimly aware that she was wearing only her night gown. Thank goodness she did not decide to take it off from the barbecue heat! Despite her traumatized state, she noticed briefly that the servants were running back and forth down the hallways in more panic than usual. In fact, they didn't even seem to notice that the princess was being abducted.

Then he was carrying her back into her room. His arms still holding her, he used one hand to open her closet roughly.

"I forgot, you should take a few belongings with you, Your Highness," he said quickly.

She stopped screaming, stared upwards into his eyes, and took a deep breath. Then she opened her mouth and started again.

A look of defeat crossing over his face, he grabbed a few of her simpler gowns and draped them over her body, his actions awkward with only one hand barely free.

Then he marched quickly out of the room, her constant piercing cry echoing throughout the castle halls.

* * *

"What in the name of the Moon are you doing!" Serena exclaimed angrily, finding for the first time that she could speak, "And what's going on here?"

Yes, the view from her window would definitely have been different today. They stood on a patch of grass outside the castle building, and Serena watched as soldiers sparred violently in the castle courtyards, certainly more aggressively than she normally observed. The rose gardens were on fire, no doubt from the garden barbecue. The central water fountain had fallen over. Where was Molly? Where was her mother?

She gasped as he took hold of her waist and lifted her easily up on to a white horse. She swung her leg awkwardly on to the other side of the large animal and struggled just to stay on.

"The Moon kingdom is under siege," the armored man said quickly as he climbed up, settling in front of her as he took the reigns, "I am to get you to safety, Princess Serenity. Please, hurry and put your arms around my waist."

"I... I..." she said, horrified, "I barely know you!"

"There isn't time for this, Your Highness," he said impatiently, turning back to look at her, "My name is Endymion, a grand knight in service to the Moon's First Guard. We are hereby acquainted, and so please, put your arms around my waist."

"Wait, where's my mother?"

He looked only briefly empathetic, "Guards have been sent for her. She should be riding out of the castle as we speak."

"All... All right... Sir Endymion," Serena said, trying out the name, then wrapping her arms timidly around his waist. He was such a large man, it felt almost uncomfortable just to be around him. She rarely had contact with boys and this seemed far too much.

And then it registered in her brain. Her castle was under attack. Her mother...

"What's going to happen to us?"

She gasped when Endymion grasped the reigns and the horse jumped, lifting both him and her with it. They had installed a pirate ship at the Moon Kingdom amusement park a year ago and that hideous thing had scared her to death. This was far worse.

"You mean, you and me?" Endymion asked, his voice puzzled.

She tried to ignore the constant up-and-down jerking motion of the horse, "No, me and my mom. What's going to happen to us now that our kingdom is under attack?"

"I do not know, Princess Serenity," Endymion admitted, "My only instruction was to take you to our closest ally, the Mars Kingdom. We shall ensure both you and Queen Serenity's safety before planning any retaliation."

The horse galloped quickly past the battling soldiers in the castle. Serena's face paled. The place where she had grown up had become a bloody battlefield. She heard the frightening sounds of spears and swords and cries and groans as the soldiers felled each other. She had never seen such violence. Everything was unfamiliar and surreal.

Then she frowned.

"Wait, how do I know you are who you say you are?" Serena demanded, "How do I know you're not one of the enemy soldiers sent to kidnap me? If you really were here to rescue me, shouldn't there be others with you? Why would they send only one soldier to take me away?"

Panic welled up in her like an erupting geyser. She realized what she had to do.

"Let me off!" she demanded as she let go of his waist and started pounding on his armored back, ignoring the fact that he probably felt nothing, "Let me off!"

"Your Highness!" he exclaimed, "Do not risk your life! Surely you do not wish to descend upon my horse in the midst of this bloody fight!"

"I don't care! Let me off!"

He didn't answer. She thought about her options - jump off the horse and risk breaking a limb, slide herself off and risk being dragged, knock her kidnapper out and risk-

Suddenly, she felt something come over her face. A white handkerchief? She struggled, gave a weak attempt to pull away. Why weren't her muscles working? Why was it getting so difficult to breathe?

And then, everything went black.

* * *

She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at the man across the fire. Sitting silently on a tree log, she watched as her kidnapper threw another twig into the flames. She had woken up to find herself lying in a small clearing amidst a sparse forest, the night having darkened around them. The only sounds were the occasional owl hooting ominously in the background, and the gentle flickering of the fire between them.

"You drugged me," she said vehemently, "You drugged me, you sicko."

"I had no choice, Your Highness," he said apologetically, "You were going to descend the horse and risk your life, and my instructions were to protect you through any means necessary."

She frowned. "Wait a minute, you said I had to put my arms around your waist in order to ride with you. How was I supposed to put my arms around your waist when I was drugged into unconsciousness?"

"I was forced to put your body in front of me," Endymion explained, his voice uncomfortable, "It was difficult to ride with only one hand, but we still made good distance from the castle. We should have lost the enemy soldiers who were following us."

She glared at him.

"You have had an uneasy day, your Highness," Endymion said quietly, "I understand if your mood is sour."

She gaped.

"Of course my mood is sour!" Serena exploded, "This morning I was dragged out of bed by some callous knight, ripped from my burning home! I don't know where my mom is! I don't know if she's even alive! And even if we find her, we're probably going to have to live in exile or something! And you! You drugged me, you, you, you... creep!"

Endymion frowned.

"I am sorry for your turmoil, Princess Serenity."

"Can you speak like a normal person?" Serena demanded, "'Turmoil'? 'Sour'? Don't you think you're being a little pretentious?"

"I am merely a knight," Endymion said, his gaze downcast, "And you are the princess of the kingdom I serve. I must address you formally."

She glared at him again. "Fine."

"Perhaps this hide will improve your Highness' mood," Endymion suggested, holding up a piece of meat on a skewer he had taken out of his hunting bag. She glared at it.

Reluctantly, she reached out her hand and took it, wishing that she had a napkin. She took a bite and was pleasantly surprised at the taste. Certainly more exquisite than the carrots and broccoli her mother usually made her eat.

She looked at him apprehensively, "So... can you tell me what's going on?"

Endymion frowned, his eyes giving away that he was deeply worried, "It appears troops from the Jupiter Kingdom ambushed our kingdom early this morning, with no previous declaration of war or even a warning. There has been no bad blood between the two kingdoms; we were completely unprepared. We were fortunate we had an emergency plan to escort the royal family out of the castle."

"You still haven't explained why only you were sent for me, one single knight."

"We needed to ride as stealthily to safety as possible," Endymion explained, "Even a small band of soldiers would have drawn too much attention from the enemies."

They were silent again for a moment.

It hit Serena all at once: Her home had been invaded, her mother was in hiding, she was accompanied by only a man she had met mere moments earlier. She suddenly felt very alone. Then she realized that, like it or not, for the next few days this knight was all she had, the only person responsible for her.

"Sir Endymion…" she said hesitantly, offering a small smile, "Maybe we should get to know one another. Can you tell me something about yourself?"

Endymion frowned at her, as if surprised she did not remember, "I am a knight of the Moon Kingdom. First Guard."

"No, I mean, something about you," Serena explained, "Like, what do you like to do, um, after work? By after work, I guess I mean after you train or patrol or whatever. Do you paint, or sing, or collect bottle caps? I mean, collecting bottle caps is pretty boring, but given what I know about you so far, I wouldn't be entirely surprised."

He frowned again, "The fact that I am a knight and in service to the Moon Kingdom and to you, that is all you need to know about me."

Serena gaped at him. She was trying to be nice to him, and he just brushed her off! Perhaps, given this supposedly huge difference in status between them which he claimed, she could demand that he talk to her like a normal human being. She thought about commanding him to be friendly towards her, but that just made her feel pathetic.

"Fine, forget it," she snapped, "Let's just sit here in awkward silence. I hope you're happy."

He didn't answer, merely looked at the piece of meat over the fire that he was cooking now for himself.

She took another bite of her food and stared at him. No doubt he was extremely handsome. He certainly had the build of a gallant knight. She noted his honest face and intelligent eyes which now flickered orange from the reflection of the small fire. It was almost wasteful that he had zero socialization skills. The good-looking ones always had some emotional shortcomings.

"Princess, be still."

Her eyes widened in fear, "What? Is there something crawling on me? Don't tell me it's a snake. Snakes freak the heck right out of me. Where is it? Oh, geez, where is it?"

"No," Endymion whispered, "Footsteps."

She blinked, then smiled excitedly.

"Moon Kingdom guards sent to escort me to the Mars Kingdom?" Serena asked, brightening, "Where?"

"Quiet!" Endymion scolded under his breath, and she glared at him. Wasn't he supposed to be formal and polite to her?

Not that it mattered. In less than a minute, the footsteps had grown louder and their unexpected visitors had stepped out of the shadows. Serena gasped, looking up at the five men who seemed to tower over her. They were dressed in dark green shirts and black pants, a bandanna over each of their faces.

Each one carried a knife.

Endymion had already stood up, his heavy sword held in both hands. He positioned himself between Serena and the strangers, his feet wide apart and shoulders turned sideways in a swordsman's fighting stance.

"Are… are you Moon Kingdom soldiers sent to help me?" Serena asked hesitantly, not sure whether she believed it herself.

"We're bandits," the one in the middle said gruffly.

Then they moved to surround her.

"Oh."

Crap.


	2. Chapter 2

**Silver**

**Chapter Two:**

**Enter Lita the Bandit Chief  
**

**by Phantasy Star**

* * *

Serena swallowed, staring at the bandit before her. "Well, what's your name?"

She frowned, trying to decide whether that was a stupid question. She had never met a bandit before, not in her castle, not on the village grounds, and certainly not out here in the wild. What exactly does one say to a person of this profession? Regardless, they were meeting for the first time and her mother had always stressed the importance of manners.

"What?" the leader said, surprised, "We're not gonna to tell you our names! Looks at us, we're bandits! We're gonna rob you!"

Serena saw a glint in Endymion's eyes.

"Your Highness, please stay behind me," he warned, "In case you must defend yourself, use this wand."

He took out a stick from his hunting sack and tossed it towards her. She surprised herself by catching her easily, holding the wand triumphantly in her hand and flashing a grin at the bandits. Surely they knew now that she was not simply a weak princess in need of protection.

"What is it?" she asked, inspecting the cherry-colored wand with a glowing creasant-shape at its end. She was struck by how warm the material felt against her palm. The weapon seemed almost beautiful.

"It's a Moon Wand," Endymion answered, "Aim it at your enemy and focus your energy into it."

"Wow, it's a magical weapon? Cool!"

"Hey, are you two done chatting?" one of the bandits said impatiently, "You're holdin' us up. 'Got a whole town to rob after this."

Serena barely had time to gasp when Endymion moved. It seemed as if she blinked and the first two bandits had already fallen. The third collapsed when Endymion slammed the hilt of his sword against the back of his head. His eyes rolled backwards and he fell crumpled on to the ground.

The fourth bandit charged at Endymion, and Serena frowned. She stared at the wand in her hand, wondering whether she could truly control it. Her mother had tried to teach her basic elemental magic before, but it never seemed that important.

"Take this, jerk!" Serena cried and aimed the wand.

To her surprise, a creasant shaped beam shot out and hit the bandit in the neck. He yelped out in pain and dropped to the leaf-covered ground, lifting his hand quickly to covering his wound.

"Fantastic, Your Highness!" Endymion exclaimed, and she beamed. He was finally displaying some form of positive energy, and it was because of her!

Serena watched as the fifth bandit surveyed his fallen friends. The gruff-looking man chuckled nervously, before turning to scamper away.

Then he gasped.

"Master!" he said, immediately kneeling in front of a figure hidden in the dark.

Serena peered curiously into the shadows and saw another stranger hidden under a drooping tree branch. The figure wore the same dark green shirt and back pants, and sported the same styled bandanna.

But it was a she this time.

"What are you doing?" the woman said, kicking the knelt-down bandit in the stomach, "I told you guys to raid the wealthy village across the river! You can't take that simple instruction?"

Serena blinked.

"Seriously, Joe! I'm gonna have to demote you to third-in-command if you keep disobeying my orders!" the woman scolded.

The bandit gazed desolately downwards, both his stomach and pride hurting.

The woman finally turned towards Serena with an apologetic smile. She stepped closer, "Oh, I am so sorry."

Endymion came between them defensively.

"Relax," the stranger scoffed, rolling her eyes, "I'm Lita Kino, leader of the Green Bandits. Usually I say these words with pride, but after watching that miserable fight, well, I really feel like abdicating my title…"

Endymion retracted his weapon carefully and stared coldly at her, "If I were not on a mission, I would arrest you and personally deliver you to our kingdom's prison. Bandits bring chaos to our countrysides."

"Ugh, such discrimination," Lita exclaimed, although she didn't seem offended, "We're the good kind of bandits! You know, steal from rich folks, give to poor folks, you've heard the stories. Anyway, what's going on here? She looks like a royal lady, and you look like a knight." She frowned thoughtfully, "Hmm… You didn't kidnap her to have your way with her, did you?"

Endymion's eyes widened, his face turning red, although Serena wasn't sure it was from anger or embarrassment.

"I am not to disclose my mission!" Endymion growled, "Now, leave my sight before I am forced to cut you down."

Lita seemed to have decided to ignore him and fixated her gaze on Serena instead.

"Uh, it's… it's true," Serena stammered, "He didn't kidnap me. Well, he kind of did, but it's fine. He's escorting me to the Mars Kingdom."

Lita didn't seem to be paying attention to her words though. Instead, she was looking at the silver bracelet on Serena's wrist.

"Wow, that thing must be worth a fortune!" she said.

"I've... had it since I was a little girl."

"You are not taking it from her," Endymion said, his voice low with anger.

"I wasn't going to!" Lita snapped, then turned to Serena again with a smile, "Listen, Princess..."

"Serena."

"Princess Serena, if you need another escort, I'd be happy to join you and assure your safety! As for payment, well, we can talk about it when we get there. You're a princess, so you're fairly well-off, I presume?"

"Uh, I guess..."

"Then it's settled!" Lita said happily, "I'll come with you! It'll give me a break from my pathetic minions!"

"We are traveling by horse, but by foot," Endymion said flatly.

"I have my own horse," Lita retorted, then beamed again, "All right, when are we leaving?"

"But Master!"

Lita turned around, looking at the bandit who had gotten off of the ground.

"You can't leave us, Master! We would be so worried! You're one of us! When we found you at the river unconscious two years ago, we-"

"You talk far too much, Joe," Lita said, waving her hand dismissively, "I'm going and that's that. Now, remember, don't sour the Green Bandits' names while I'm gone!"

The bandit nodded worriedly.

"Please stay safe, Master!"

Lita grinned, "You too, Joe."

* * *

"Your Highness, it is time to rise."

Serena shook her head with her eyes closed, mumbling, "No, it's not…"

"Princess Serenity, if we wish to arrive at the Mars Kingdom in three days, we must take advantage of every hour the sun is up…"

She opened her eyes, finding herself staring at Endymion's handsome face, behind him the clear blue sky. She groaned.

It was much too early, and she had not slept well the night before. Which was probably understandable. She had never slept outdoors before, and was nervous the whole night about bugs and critters, despite Endymion's repeated reassurance that the fire would keep them away. She had to admit though, that the bed Endymion had made for her out of leaves felt oddly comfortable.

"I was dreaming about my mother," she said sullenly.

Then she berated herself for being stupid. Why was she expecting sympathy from him? He would probably just say 'I am sorry for your turmoil.'

"I am sorry for your turmoil, Your Highness."

She sighed.

"But the knight who was sent for your mother, he is more experienced and more capable than I," Endymion continued, looking sympathetic for once, "I assure you that your mother is in good hands. In fact, she would likely reach the Mars Kingdom sooner than we do."

"You think so?"

He nodded.

She sat up, hugging her knees to her chest.

"Endymion... why did they send you to come for me? Out of all the knights of First Guard?"

"I… am not certain myself," he admitted, "It was Queen Serenity's personal decision."

Serena was surprised, "My mother knew you?"

"Yes."

She was beginning to tire of his short answers. Perhaps he sensed it. He continued.

"Two years ago I was found in the hills by the castle. During one of her walks, the Queen herself spotted me. I was unconscious and badly wounded. I... I woke up with no memories. Queen Serenity took me in and assigned me to become a knight."

"Two years ago?" Serena said incredulously, "In two years you rose through the ranks to become a grand knight of the First Order? Wow, you must be pretty good."

She thought she caught a hint of pride flashing through his eyes, but then he was turning away.

"Anyway, Your Highness, we must continue our journey."

She nodded.

A moment later, they were on the horse again, and she had gotten accustomed to resting her head on his back. Lita rode cheerfully next to them, bragging about her exploits as a bandit leader serving justice. Serena listened excitedly, but Lita rarely elicited any type of response from Endymion.

As they continued to ride towards the Mars Kingdom, Serena thought about the man in front of her. A knight with a mysterious past. Her heart began to pound and she hoped he did not feel it.

Perhaps there was more to him than she had initially thought.

* * *

It was during daybreak when the Jupiter guards overtook them.

Serena gasped in horror as over fifteen soldiers surrounded them. Their allegiance was clear; each soldier wore a green suit, and a dark-gray helmet engraved with the number-four symbol. Endymion eyed them carefully while Lita took out her hunting knife.

"We just want the princess," the tallest soldier said as he stepped forwards, "You two will not be harmed."

Endymion stepped down from the horse, and Serena immediately missed his warmth.

"I wish to know the intentions of the Jupiter Kingdom," Endymion declared, "We have been allies for decades. What prompted this abomination?"

"We're not here to discuss anything," the enemy leader said, "Give us Princess Serenity."

"I think not," Endymion said, his eyes narrowing.

In a flash, Lita had jumped down from her horse and the fight began. Serena grasped her wand and shot its creasant-shaped energy bolts, surprising herself when she felled guard after guard.

Endymion struck through several enemies with his sword; none of the Jupiter guards' weapons even touched his armor.

Then, Serena cried out in alarm as a blade rammed past Lita's shoulder, and the tall girl winced in pain before dropping to the ground, her hand clutching the wound.

Two Jupiter guards stepped forwards and forced Lita to the ground. Serena, to her horror, realized their intentions. One of the guards held a spear over Lita's head.

"No, don't hurt her!" Serena cried frantically, "I'll... I'll go with you!"

"Your Highness, you cannot!" Endymion exclaimed, turning momentarily from the battle to face her.

She knew she didn't have a choice.

"Sorry, Sir Endymion," Serena said, giving him a weak smile, "Thanks you for being semi-nice to me over the past couple of days. I… I hope we'll meet again someday. Please, go and protect my mother."

Endymion's dark blue eyes were filled with horror as she climbed down from the horse.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, and to summon forth courage she didn't know she had, Serena walked slowly towards the Jupiter soldiers.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Was pleasantly surprised by the response for Chapter 2, didn't think an "historical era" story would fare well. As a thank-you here's Chapter 3 updated **two days **after the last one!

**Silver**

**Chapter Three:**

**Enter Raye, the Warrior Princess**

**by Phantasy Star**

An arrow flew past Serena and buried itself through a Jupiter guard's armor. He grunted and fell. Then another guard cried out in pain, followed by another.

"Serena!"

Serena could recognize that voice anywhere. She almost sobbed with relief. One moment she was about to surrender herself to the Jupiter guards, the next she was hearing the voice of her best friend.

Serena squealed. "Raye!"

Sure enough, Serena turned and saw a warrior princess with a large crimson crossbow in her hand standing atop a small hill, her long black hair fluttering against the wind. Surrounding her was a handful of Mars soldiers.

The Mars knights rode into the fight and quickly subdued the Jupiter guards, already outnumbered due to Endymion's earlier work. At the inattention of the Jupiter knights, Lita quickly got off the ground and retreated back to her horse.

Serena looked at the Jupiter leader, who suddenly found himself held down by two Mars soldiers. The sandy-haired man glared up at Raye and growled dangerously, "Raye Hino, Princess of the Mars Kingdom… You realize that by siding with the Moon princess, you are declaring war on the Jupiter Kingdom."

"Serena, it's really you!" Raye said excitedly, ignoring the Jupiter soldier entirely, "How have you been?"

Serena turned away from the enemy and ran to her best friend, their hands grabbing each others' immediately, "Raye! I'm so glad to see you!"

The Jupiter guards' leader gaped, unable to believe that his grave warning had been ignored.

"Nice dress!" Raye said, "I mean, it's torn and all, given you just fled for your life and have been on horseback for what I'm assuming is two whole days, but... the patterning. It's lovely!"

"Thanks, you look great too!" Serena grinned, "You've come to escort us to your castle?"

"Yeah, Grandpa ordered me to," Raye enthused.

Then Serena held tight on to Raye's hands urgently, "Please, help my friend Lita. She was injured in the fight just now."

Raye quickly signaled one of the knights to tend to her wounds.

"Lita is our travel companion," Serena explained, gesturing towards her new friends, "And this is Sir Endymion. He's the knight who escorted me from the castle."

"Nice to meet you both," Raye grinned.

Then Raye turned towards the man on the ground, the leader of the Jupiter guards. Her smile disappeared, her eyes becoming stern.

"Soldier, give us your name," she said quietly, "And explain why Jupiter suddenly declared war on the Moon Kingdom."

The man glared up at her.

"I am Sir Kendrick of the Jupiter High Knights, second squad. We attacked the Moon Kingdom because they kidnapped our princess and refused to give her back."

"What?" Serena exclaimed, "We have done no such thing! Why would we? Besides, I heard the Jupiter Princess disappeared two years ago!"

"Our intelligence told us that the Moon Kingdom is behind it," Kendrick said with narrow eyes. Then his voice turned softer, "You are only a princess, you may not know that your own kingdom had become corrupt. I had no desire to harm you. I was merely ordered to deliver you to the Jupiter Kingdom so that we may perform an exchange for our own princess."

Serena turned when Endymion spoke up.

"We will investigate this matter as soon as we escort Princess Serenity to safety," he said, "Princess Raye, I will rely upon you to lead us to the Mars Kingdom."

He turned towards Kendrick, "As for you, we shall spare your life should you promise to deliver this message to the Jupiter Kingdom: 'Withdraw your attack. You are being manipulated.'"

Kendrick's eyes widened, but they narrowed almost immediately.

The Mars guards released him, and Serena and the others rode away.

* * *

Serena had tired of sitting in the carriage, and missed galloping on the plains on Endymion's horse. Raye had fallen asleep next to her after they had caught up. Serena peaked out of the stagecoach and stole a look at Endymion.

"Hey, Sir Endymion," she whispered, careful not to wake up Raye, "It's getting too stuffy in here. Can I ride with you?"

"Your Highness," he said, surprised, "Surely it is more comfortable in the carriage."

She glared at him.

"Of course, it is your decision, Princess Serenity."

She smiled. He rode his horse closer to the carriage and offered her his hand. She took it and he helped her climb on to the horse. She sighed inwardly. It was strange that she felt safer on Endymion's horse than the horse and carriage arranged by Raye.

"You were great back there," she said with a smile, "You could probably have taken out all of the Jupiter guards by yourself."

"You flatter me, Princess."

She sighed.

"Endymion... What do you think is going on? Could our kingdom really have kidnapped Jupiter's princess? It's… it's not possible, is it?"

His voice was low.

"Jupiter's princess was not merely kidnapped. She was taken while on a journey to a neighboring kingdom, and was staying at a well-guarded inn. The kidnappers raided the entire village before taking her away – her body was never found - after which they burned the town to the ground. Given the barbaric nature of the attackers, many believe the Princess had been killed rather than captured. I am confident that the Moon Kingdom had no involvement in this."

"Good," Serena said, wrapping her arms tighter around the knight.

"Hey, Sir Endymion."

"Your Highness?"

"Do you ever think about where you came from? I mean, before two years ago? Do you wonder who you really are? Or were?"

He didn't answer for a moment.

"Sometimes."

Serena smiled sadly. Her heart ached that he would not know his own parents, his own home. Yet she was glad that he had emotions after all, and perhaps he was something more than simply a knight in her service.

* * *

It was midday when they reached the Mars Kingdom. As soon as they saw the castle from the hills, they saw that something was not right.

Endymion and Serena rode first, followed by the carriage which Raye had offered to Lita upon seeing her poor condition. Raye rode her own horse, her bows and arrow bound carefully to the saddle.

Upon reaching the mountaintop overseeing the land, Serena's mouth fell open. The sky above the castle was covered by thick smoke. The castle was on fire. It was only too familiar to Serena; she remembered the smells and sounds of death in her own kingdom only days ago. She glanced worriedly at Raye, who had clasped a hand over her mouth in shock.

"We must retreat before anyone sees us," Endymion said, "We cannot risk the life of Princess Serenity."

"It's too late," Raye breathed.

A group of soldiers in green armor were already riding towards them.

Endymion pulled at his reigns and was about to turn when the guards surrounded them. The central guard stepped forward alone and Serena gasped.

"Sir Kendrick!" she said.

Endymion's eyes narrowed, "I gave you your life back so you would return to the Jupiter Kingdom and deliver my message."

To Serena's surprise, Kendrick walked closer still to their party. Endymion and Raye held their weapons up but Kendrick spoke in a low voice.

"I'm not leading this attack," he said quietly, "I'm here to speak to the girl I wounded last time."

"Lita?" Serena exclaimed, "What do you want with her!"

"It's okay," a weak, raspy voice called from behind her, "I want to hear what the jerkwad has to say."

Serena turned and saw the brown-haired bandit leader hobble out of the carriage. Serena looked worriedly at Lita's unusually pale face. The girl looked exhausted even after having ridden in the carriage all day.

Kendrick approached her, "My band of knights, the second squad of the Jupiter High Knights, is known as the Jupiter Assassins. We line poison into the tips of our weapons. I'm afraid that when we wounded you yesterday, we left venom in your body."

"Why are you telling us this?" Raye demanded.

"Something is wrong with King Jupiter," Sir Kendrick admitted, "I am not sure his orders are sound anymore. I plan to investigate when I return to the Jupiter Kingdom. But for now, I need to get the young woman to a powerful healer so that we may remove the toxin from her body. I do not wish harm upon innocents in this war."

"But how will you take her away?" Serena wondered aloud, "Your troops will be watching. They'll think you're a traitor."

"Your name is Lita, correct?" Kendrick said, "You're going to have to act as though I am kidnapping you. Can you do that?"

She nodded numbly.

He hoisted her gently on to his horse. Then he turned towards Endymion, speaking in a low voice.

"These Jupiter troops lack discipline," Kendrick said, "Defeat the leader and the infantry will scatter. Look for the short, blond general and fell him first."

"Thank you, Sir Kendrick," Endymion said, although his eyes remained suspicious.

"Good luck to you all."

With Lita on his back, he turned and rode away.

Serena blinked curiously when she heard Lita begin shouting, even in her weakened state.

"How dare you, you wretched knight!" she said, loudly enough for all the Jupiter troops to hear, "You mean to capture me to do as you please? You pervert!"

"What? Don't say that about me!" Kendrick hissed.

"But I have to make them think you're kidnapping me," Lita whispered back.

"Don't soil my reputation while you do it!"

"Oh, okay," Lita whispered, then raised her voice again, "Ah, I have mistaken your intentions! You merely mean to punish me for the wounds I inflicted upon your troops. Ah well, a thousand curses upon your family! May your parents be forced to bury their young, may your children be struck by every disease within the Five Kingdoms! May your crops burn and your lifestock die unfit deaths! May your-"

"Enough!" Kendrick scolded quietly, "Must you curse all that I have?"

He quieted, sighing, "I believe we've already fooled my troops. Do not worry, milady. There is a village with high-ranking healers close to here. We will remove the poison from your body as soon as we can."

"Well, to be fair, you're the one who put that poison into me in the first place," Lita sulked, "But I guess I should thank you anyway."

The pair made their way past the guards and out of the Mars Kingdom plains.

* * *

Serena's wand glowed intensely as she released shot after shot. The guards she hit grunted and fell, but there were too many of them. Serena struggled to catch her breath, then saw Raye line her crossbow with a fire arrow. The archer princess closed one eye and released the arrow, the shot passing by several Jupiter guards and piercing the leader through his leg. The remaining guards shouted in alarm at their fallen leader and fled in many directions.

Without a word, Raye rode ahead towards the burning castle.

"Raye, no!" Serena cried, "There's probably a lot more troops in the castle! We can't hope to win against all of them!"

Part of her didn't want to stop Raye. She realized that Endymion could be right. Perhaps her mother had arrived in the Mars Kingdom before she did. Perhaps she was in the castle as they spoke, her life in peril.

But what if she was wrong? What if her mother had never arrived at the Mars Kingdom? Then she would be leading her allies to a certain doom for no good reason.

"I have to go save whoever I can!" Raye exclaimed, "I have to save Grandpa!"

"Someone is approaching," Endymion interrupted.

Serena watched as a red-armored guard rode towards them. She frowned. He didn't look like any soldier she had seen before. He had messy dark brown hair and a half-shaven face. His eyes were small and dull, his mouth drawn upwards in a silly smile.

"Princess Raye!" he exclaimed, "You've returned unharmed!"

"Sir Chad!" Raye said urgently, "Where's grandpa?"

"The king is just dandy," he nodded happily, "Our grand knights took 'im and Queen Serenity to a safe place."

"My mother was here?" Serena said, feeling relief for the first time since she had started on her adventure.

"Ah, you must be Princess Serenity," Chad said cheerfully, "Pleased to meet ya, milady. Yep yep, Queen Serenity was here. We couldn't provide her the protection she needed though, 'cause ya know, our castle got attacked this morn'. The castle sent me out to intercept y'all before y'all entered the castle. It's not safe in there, ya know?"

"Are we losing?" Raye demanded, "Is our kingdom falling?"

Chad stroked his chin, then shrugged casually, "I dunno. Last I heard it was like 30-70."

"30-70?" Raye echoed, her voice rising, "Which way?"

"Um… I dunno. Maybe I was mistaken. Maybe it was 70-30. Hmm... now which was it?"

"It doesn't matter whether it's 30-70 or 70-30!" Raye exploded, "Who's winning?"

Chad frowned. "Naw, I think it was 30-70. When we score these battles, we state the status of the defending team first, then the offence. Ya know, same as ball games and such. So…" he paused, deep in thought, "I guess we're losin'. Sorry, Princess Raye."

Serena put a hand on Raye's shoulder as angry tears appeared in the Mars princess' eyes.

"Anyway, they told me to escort ya'll outta here," Chad said, scratching his head, "We should pro'lly go now, before the Jupiter troops catch up with us."

"Go where?" Raye shouted, "Our kingdom is being destroyed, the Moon Kingdom has already been captured! For all we know, both the Venus Kingdom and the Mercury Kingdom could be under siege right now!"

"Naw, I don't think so," Chad said, "Nobody would go after the Venus Kingdom. Y'know, everybody says their magical defence is impenetrable. At any rate, that's where your grandpa and Queen Serenity are going, so…"

"I guess we have no choice," Raye said.

She looked over her kingdom one more time, her face paling. The castle where she had grown up in was about to lie in ruins.

She growled.

"The next time I meet up with these Jupiter soldiers, I'm going to kick some serious butt."


	4. Chapter 4

**Silver**

**Chapter Four: **

**Enter Mina, the Crazed Wanderer**

**by Phantasy Star**

"I like the second one," Raye said.

"What about the third one? He has sexy smoldering eyes." Serena whispered.

"He's okay, but I prefer blonds."

The journey to the Venus Kingdom was long. They had decided to stop at a local village to spend the night. With the gold coins Chad had brought with him to the group, Endymion had suggested hiring an additional mercenary. He feared that the trip to Venus would be riddled with Jupiter troops looking to accost them, and that he would not be able to protect both princesses at once.

And now, Serena, Raye, Endymion and Chad stood at the back of the armory, across the room from the three mercenaries ready for hire. The one on the left was a short, stoutly fellow with a giant axe, the one on the left was a tall, slender man with a bow and arrow, and the one in the middle was a medium-built gentleman with a handsome face and bright blue eyes. He held a long saber in his hand and a shield in the other.

"We shall hire based on skill, not looks," Endymion said sternly.

"No, I want one that I wouldn't mind looking at," Raye said dismissively, walking closer to the man in the middle, "Hey, what's your name?"

He glanced at her, sizing her up, "Sir Andrew, milady. Do you wish to buy my services?"

She frowned, "I don't know. How much do you cost?"

"I require 50 gold coins per day of fighting."

Raye squinted, "I'll give you 30."

"Raye!" Serena said, stepping forwards, "Chad brought us like a thousand gold coins, we can afford-"

"Quiet, Serena!" she snapped, then turned back to Andrew, "30, take it or leave it."

He frowned, "I require 50."

"Oh well, too bad we couldn't reach a deal," Raye shrugged, "Come on, Serena. Let's go."

She pulled at Serena's arm to was dragging her reluctant friend out of the armory when Andrew' voice stopped her.

"Ah, milady," Andrew called to her retreating figure, "Er, how about 40?"

"35."

"38."

"36."

"37."

"Thirty- Okay, fine, thirty-seven," Raye said, then looked at his rugged good looks and sighed, "Oh, whatever, I don't like to carry change. Forty it is."

Andrew's face brightened.

"We leave early tomorrow," Raye said, "Come find us at the inn at sunrise."

* * *

That night, Serena stared out the windows of her room at the inn, finding herself feeling lonely and worried about her mother. She was glad the Queen had at least left the Moon Kingdom safely, and had set foot at the Mars Kingdom. Serena only hoped that she would be safe on the road to the Venus Kingdom as well.

Then her thoughts turned towards Lita. She hoped Kendrick would be treating her well, that he could rush her to the healers she needed in time.

She glanced at Raye on the bed next to her. The Princess of Mars was sound asleep, her bow and arrow perched near the window. She never really understood how her best friend could be so strong. Perhaps it was because she was trained in archery even at a young age, taught by her grandfather the king. Or perhaps it was because her parents had both gone missing when Raye was only a child, and she had learned from childhood the harshness of reality.

Serena looked at her own weapon, the Moon-shaped wand. Even her instrument of war seemed smaller and less aggressive-looking than her comrades'.

Shaking the useless thoughts from her mind, Serena tiptoed out of her room and down to the first floor of the inn. She was surprised to find Endymion there, sitting on a couch in front of the fireplace.

"Sir Endymion!" she called cheerfully.

"Your Highness," he said, standing up.

She sighed, "Endymion, we've been traveling together for days now. Why can't you just call me Serena like my friends do?"

"I am merely a guard in your service, Princess Serenity," he said quietly, "I must not overstep my boundaries."

She sighed as she sat down, and he followed, "Well, what are you doing up so late?"

"I… could not sleep. I am still trying to comprehend why Jupiter has suddenly declared war on both the Moon and Mars Kingdoms. Sir Kendrick of Jupiter said the king is acting strange. I fear that he is being manipulated by a dark force."

He frowned, then turned to Serena apologetically, "I beg your pardon, Princess Serenity. I should not worry you with the affairs of war. Surely you have enough on your mind."

"But I should know these things," Serena protested, "I'm the Princess, after all." Her voice quieted, "Endymion, thank you for being here for me, protecting me."

"It is merely my duty, Your Highness."

She looked at him, surprised at his words. She finally understood what he had meant all along, that he was simply her knight. She blinked, finding herself hurt.

"I... I see," she said, standing up and not looking at him, "Well, good night, Sir Endymion."

"Your Highness, I… apologize if I have offended you."

She detected concern in his voice, but she quickly reminded herself that it was only the concern of an subject who feared he had angered his ruler.

"No," she said, "You're only a knight in my service, how could you possibly offend me?"

With that, she walked back upstairs to her room.

* * *

The Jupiter knight grunted and fell off his horse as Serena's magic hit him squarely in the chest. She grinned. She glanced back and saw Chad knock the helmet off an enemy, and Endymion smoothly disarming his opponent. Raye was as adept as always with her bow and arrow, and Andrew, the new addition to the team, was holding his own as well with the expert use of his saber. The handful of Mars soldiers who had accompanied Raye also fought bravely.

A few moments later, they had left their defeated enemies moaning in pain and had continued their hike through the sparse forest.

"Wait, stop."

All eyes turned to look at Raye, whose expression was both anxious and wondering.

"Something's strange about this place..." she said.

"More soldiers, Princess Raye?" Chad asked, "Cuz I wouldn't mind. It's fun fighting with y'all."

"No..." Raye said hesitantly, "Something... evil's here..."

Serena heard a rustling of the leaves nearby and turned to look. To her shock, a shadow flew past, something small and sinister.

More rustling, more sounds. Then light padded footsteps.

"Crap, it's gargoyles!" Raye gasped, "We walked right into their lair!"

"Ah well, we'll just hack our way through, just like with the Jupiter soldiers!" Chad announced cheerfully.

"I'm not sure it would be so easy..."

Then they appeared from the shadows. Serena gasped, her hand tightening around her wand. The creatures were constructed from stone; the only sign of life was the glowing red in their eyes.

"We gotta try anyway!" Chad declared.

Endymion, Chad and Andrew moved to strike simultaneously. Their eyes widened when their weapons hit their opponents to create only a dull clanging sound.

None of their weapons made any sort of a mark.

"Just as I thought," Raye exclaimed, "Physical attacks will do them no harm! This is up to me and Serena!"

Raye took out her bow and used her fingers to line an arrow gracefully with fire magic. Serena raised her wand and focused her energy, making her weapon glow with a shimmering orange tone. Serena shot her attack at a gargoyle just as Raye's arrow struck through one, turning both into white dust.

"There's too many of them!" Serena exclaimed, as more and more gargoyles jumped down from the trees, flew out of the caves and emerged from holes in the forest ground. There seemed to be no end to them.

Just then, a bright light filled their vision.

When it cleared, Serena lowered her hand from shielding her eyes. She gasped in awe. Her eyes made out the figure of a beautiful woman on a tall white horse, her long flowing blonde hair reaching her waists. Serena's eyes widened. All that was left of the gargoyles were piles of white sand.

When the dust had cleared, Serena gazed upwards at the gorgeous stranger.

"Wow!" Serena whispered, her eyes in awe, "Who… who are you?"

"I am Mina," the goddess said triumphantly, "Wanderer of the woods, seeker of the seas of truth." She giggled, "Oh, how wonderfully poetic and romantic!"

Serena blinked.

"Ah, a lone beautiful woman saving those in need!" Mina announced, "Just like from a fairy tale! Fighting evil under the guise of beauty! Rescuing lost travelers, both their souls and bodies! These are the stuff of legends!"

Raye growled. "We could probably have handled this ourselves, you know."

"With your puny elemental fire magic?" Mina gasped, "I think not! Only my pure, beautiful, mighty holy magic can easily dissolve evil spirits such as these!"

She came closer to the group now, and Serena noticed the red bow on the back of her head. Mina looked at Chad and smiled.

"Wow, the men in your party are really quite something, aren't they!" she announced.

Chad grinned nervously, "Thank you, milady. I am-"

But she had already moved on to Endymion, "Hmm, an honest and handsome face with brooding eyes. Oh how my heart beats!"

Endymion only stared at her stoically.

Then she moved on to Andrew and gasped.

"Ah, a kind visage with a dangerous flair, I like!"

Andrew gulped uncomfortably.

Serena and Raye stared at her.

"I shall join you on your journey!" Mina announced, turning towards the girls, "I am a lone traveler, with no purpose other than to purge the world of evil and protect all that is good! I shall fight alongside you!"

"Yeah, well, then it's too bad you're not invited," Raye muttered, "Sorry."

"Princess Raye," Endymion spoke up, "Although I cannot speak for this young lady's personality, it is perhaps in our interest to have a holy magic user among us. As you saw in the battle just now..."

Raye groaned. She turned to Serena pleadingly, as if saying that she couldn't bring herself to do it so Serena had to take the horrid responsibility.

"I'm Serena and this is Raye," Serena said with a smile, extending her hand, "We'd be grateful for your companionship!"

"Ah, Lady Serena!" Mina announced, "Happy to be at your service! I use not only offensive magic - I can use my wonderful and beautiful holy magic for healing as well! I shall be of great aid to your cause!"

Raye rolled her eyes.

"Now, where are you going?" Mina asked, grinning.

"To the Venus Kingdom," Serena said.

Mina's eyes widened.

"What, why?" she asked, and Serena was surprised to see the smile leave the wanderer's face for the first time.

"My mother has been escorted to safety there and I am going there to find her," Serena explained, confused, "Why? Do you not wish to go there?"

"Well, uh..." Mina said hesitantly. Then her face brightened again, "No, of course not! It will be my pleasure to travel with you and protect your fragile lives. Lead the way, Lady Serena!"

* * *

Sir Andrew bent down and climbed into his tent. Throughout all his years as a mercenary, traveling with various bands at different times, he had never worked with such a diverse group. Sir Endymion was a truly skilled knight, but his seriousness left him uncomfortable most of the time. Chad was a capable soldier as well, although it was difficult to relate to his constant cheerfulness towards everything around him.

And then there were the two beautiful princesses they were escorting. Both had fine appearances, but for a reason unbeknown to himself, it was the face of the new woman in their party who occupied his mind. What a forward and self-centered woman!

He was surprised when the girl in his thoughts entered his tent.

"What are you doing in my tent!" Mina demanded, her hands carrying the bedsheets they had purchased at a nearby village.

"Your tent?" Andrew frowned, "This is my tent, milady. Sir Endymion made the assignments, and I am to take the third from the left."

"I thought this was fourth," Mina said, furrowing her brows, "Ah well, seems I have miscounted. Mathematics was never my best subject. Now then, good night, Sir Andrew."

"Wait, Mina," Andrew said, "You said you're a healer, correct?"

She nodded, "I am highly skilled in many trades, yes."

"Ah, good," Andrew said, ignoring her self-praise, "I have a wound on my shoulder from yesterday's fight, and I was hoping you could take a look at it."

Mina turned her back from him, entering into another one of her rants.

"Ah, but of course! I am a healer of light! I never forsake those in need of my protection! Those who seek my aid must never lose faith, for I shall grant them the very health that they- ahhhhh!"

She had turned around and was screaming at him, her face turning as red as the bow behind her hair, "What are you doing!"

Andrew stared at her, confused. He held his armor in both hands. He had just removed it to show her his wound.

"You vile monster!" she screamed, covering her eyes, "You dare defile me!"

"Defile..." he echoed, then frowned, "You mean, you are offended that I have taken off my armor?"

"You are naked, you barbarian!"

"I am fully clothed from the waist down!" he protested, "And I had to bare my shoulder to show you my wound. You said yourself you would take a look at it!"

"How dare you take advantage of me?" she cried, "My mind has been defiled! Oh, I have never seen the muscular body of a naked man before!"

Andrew looked at her in disbelief. Then his face turned red in anger.

"Oh, don't pretend to be so innocent!" Andrew barked, "You're a wanderer! Lone traveler! I'm sure you've seen plenty more than-"

"I'm a princess, you freak!" Mina growled, staring wide-eyed at him and then turned quickly away, her face buried in her hands once again.

He laughed. What a lunatic!

"A princess of what kingdom?" he chuckled, "You are not only tiring but an avid liar as well!"

Mina wasn't listening. "You vile, barbaric, perverted, untamed creature of darkness!" she declared, "Do not ever come near me again!"

As she ran sobbingly out of his tent, Andrew grunted. He brushed his hand over his shoulder wound, sighing. He had had wounds like this, and it would heal in a few days. He had only hoped the new healer could accelerate the process.

If he had known she would act like a crazy woman, he would not have asked.

* * *

_AN: Please review!_


	5. Chapter 5

_AN: Excited to post this chapter! Some of you are really sharp, already know where this story is going. Thanks for reading and please review!_

**Silver**

**Chapter Five: **

**Venus Desert Mayhem**

**by Phantasy Star**

"Good morning!" Mina said cheerfully as she addressed each of them, "Lady Serena, Lady Raye, Sir Endymion, Sir Chad," she turned to Andrew, "Pervert."

Serena's eyes darted between Andrew and Mina. Last night, almost everyone had heard the screaming in Sir Andrew's tent, but nobody could make out the words. All they knew was that Mina had run off sobbing. She glanced questionably at Andrew, hoping that he was as noble-minded as her other comrades.

Andrew smiled, looking up briefly from the morning stew they were cooking around the fire, "Good morning, hag."

Mina glared at him, sitting down on a log as she took a small portion of their breakfast.

Serena had gotten used to her new nomadic life. She was still downhearted when she thought about Endymion… It seemed that their relationship was purely one of a princess and her knight. But perhaps he was right – they truly were from two different worlds.

"Seems we have arrived at a crossroad, princess," Endymion remarked, addressing Serena although speaking to the rest of the group, as he often did, "If we pass through the desert to the Venus Kingdom, it would take four days. Journeying through the hills would be a safer route, but would require an extra two days. I advise the latter, as even seasoned travelers find it difficult to navigate through Venus desert."

"I agree," Raye said.

"I can take us through the desert."

The others turned to Mina, surprised.

"I've... passed through it before... I can do it again," Mina said, then grinned, "Now then, I shall act as a holy light guiding you weary travelers!"

"No way," Andrew argued, "It's far too dangerous traveling through a desert."

"Sorry, you don't get a vote," Mina intercepted, "You're just a mercenary!"

"And you're just a wanderer!" Andrew retorted, "If I don't get a vote, why should you?"

Endymion ignored their bickering, "Lady Mina, are you sure you would be able to guide us through the desert?"

"One hundred percent!" Mina announced, "I swear by the holy light!"

* * *

"Yeah, I have no idea where we are," Mina muttered while Andrew glared at her.

They had been riding and walking for five hours now, the horses slowed by the shifting sands. The sun was scorching, dust filled the air, and their water supply had gone low.

"It seems the goddesses have granted us an obstacle in our quest!" Mina announced, brightening abruptly, "We shall come out of it stronger and more committed to our journey than ever before!"

"If we ever do come out of it," Raye muttered.

"We shall set up camp here until night, when it is cooler for us to walk," Endymion declared.

The others mumbled their agreements, taking their tents out of the carriage.

Serena was retrieving hers when Endymion approached her, handing her a pouch of water.

"Your Highness, please take a drink."

"That's your ration," Serena remarked, "I already had mine."

"I am not thirsty, Princess Serenity."

She smiled.

"Endymion... I'm fine. I'm not just a spoiled princess anymore. These many days of traveling with you, living outdoors, fighting and hunting, I have learned to take care of myself. I don't need special attention."

"If you insist..." Endymion said, withdrawing his hand.

"Endymion..." Serena said hesitantly, "If I were not a princess, and you were not a knight... Would you still look after me?"

He stared into her eyes, and her heart pounded heavily in her chest.

"Guys, come quick!"

They turned and saw Raye motioning at them frantically.

"There's a kid here lying in the desert!" she exclaimed, "We've gotta help him!"

Serena and Endymion rushed over, finding a young man with short brown hair and large eyes. He seemed to be Serena's age, certainly younger than most of the men in the party. He was unconscious.

Endymion quickly poured some water from his pouch on to the man's face. He awoke with a jerk, sputtering and gasping for air.

"Ugh, where… where am I?" he cried.

"We have done yet another great deed!" Mina announced from behind, "Saving a poor soul wandering aimlessly in the desert! Oh, the Heavens must have guided us here to-"

"You're in the Venus desert," Andrew interrupted, "We found you lying here unconscious."

"Oh!" he said, "Oh, how careless of me!"

He sat up, coughing, "My name is Gregori. I am a messenger knight from the Mercury Kingdom, en route to the Venus Kingdom!"

He frowned, surveyed the multiple faces around him, and added nervously, "You're not... bandits... are you?"

Mina gasped, "How dare you accuse us of-"

"No, don't worry, kid," Andrew said, "We're heading to the Venus Kingdom ourselves. You don't happen to have instructions, do you?"

"I do!" Gregori said enthusiastically.

"Great!" Andrew said, "You see, we were foolish and entrusted our lives to a arrogant wench who claimed she knew the way through the desert. How fortunate of us to run into you here!"

Gregori nodded excitedly, "Once I rest up, you can all follow me!"

Mina stomped her foot, "I knew the way! I did! I just didn't know it backwards! Hey, why isn't anybody listening to me?"

* * *

"Princess Raye!"

"Chad. What's wrong?"

She watched as he rode up to her, their horses galloping in parallel.

"Nothin', I just wanted to see how ya are doing, is all."

"I'm fine, thanks," she smiled, "See you later."

She tightened her reigns and rode forwards away from him.

"Princess Raye!" Chad called again, accelerating to keep up with her.

"What is it, Chad?"

"I see your archery skills have improved vastly!" he commented with a grin, "Your grandfather would be proud of ya, I'm sure!"

"Thanks Chad," she said good-naturedly, "So long."

Again, she rode ahead.

"Wait, Princess!"

She slowed and looked at him, slightly annoyed, "What is it now, Chad?"

"Why do ya keep riding away from me, Princess?" he said.

"Well, to be honest..." Raye admitted, "You say a lot of useless things, and I don't really know why you say it or why I have to hear it, so... I'm sorry, Chad, but I'm more of a direct person. Do you know what I mean?"

He scratched the back of his head, "Uh, yes... I suppose. Sorry, Princess."

"It's okay," she said, feeling a little guilty, "Just, talk to me only if you really have important news, okay?"

"Ya got it, Princess," he said, his shoulders slumped over.

"Well, see you later, Chad."

As she rode ahead, she rolled her eyes. What was with that soldier? Ever since grandpa had assigned him to her personal service two years ago, he had always followed her around like a puppy dog. Was he that desperate for a friend?

She never thought they would be traveling together like they were now. It was nice to see a familiar face in the crowd other than Serena, but it also made her uneasy sometimes with the attention he paid her. She had never considered herself a people person, and only got to know Serena at the other princess' insistence. Oh well, she had more important things to think about, like avenging her kingdom.

Sir Chad would just have to wait.

* * *

Serena held on to Endymion's back silently. It had been awkward between them ever since their conversation in the camp. She didn't dare bring it up again, and he didn't seem eager to continue the conversation. She sighed. She was thinking way too much… they had an impending war to worry about.

"We're out of the blasted desert!" Mina announced, "The Heavens have shined their bright lights upon us!"

Andrew came up next to her, "Why do you always have something to say?"

As the two argued, Serena looked far into the distance. The Venus Kingdom was in sight, although it was only a dot on the horizon at the moment. Her heart pounded. Maybe she would see her mother soon.

"Enemy troops!"

Raye's eyes filled with horror as the party turned around. Streams and streams of green-armored soldiers wove their way across the hills, surrounding them.

"We're being ambushed!" Gregori said, terrified.

More soldiers appeared, emerging from caves, from the trenches, from the top of the hills. Their weapons flashed dangerously under the sunlight. Giant axes, bows, spears, swords.

"Surely the Heavens will protect us and deliver us from this-"

"Shut up!" Andrew growled at Mina, riding ahead of her and covering her from the enemies' view, "Just stay back! And run if you have to. This is not going to be an easy battle!"

"Princess Serenity, please stay behind me," Endymion said quietly.

She nodded, taking out her wand.

Chad announced, "Princess Raye, don't worry! I'll protect ya! Stay in the back!"

"Of course I'm going to stay in the back!" Raye retorted as she strung her bow, "I'm an archer! What good would I be on the front line? See, this is exactly the type of useless thing I told you not to say to me!"

Serena's eyes filled with horror as she surveyed at the enemy troops. There were too many, far more than they had ever met up with. There was easily a hundred of them.

A hundred versus seven.

She gulped.

No way they would survive this.

"Bandits, go get'em!"

Serena gasped, turning to the cliffs.

"Lita!"


End file.
